🌿 Day Five: Hearts, Hammocks, and Hope in Pucallpa

☀️ Morning Moments: Bees & Blessings

This morning started slow and peaceful. I had some hot tea and a little hammock time before breakfast. While swaying gently and enjoying the quiet, I caught a video of the tiniest bees I have ever seen—no bigger than a grain of rice!

🎒 A Selfless Gift for the School

Our first stop was the school in the Juan Silva Bocanegra community. They have just three classrooms, and last year Juan and Kim brought them a TV for lessons. This year, after hearing their request for a second one, Juan and Kim packed up their own living room TV to donate. Can you believe that? Talk about selfless love.

We visited the four- and five-year-old students and brought them t-shirts, pencils, toothbrushes, and lots of school supplies. The kids sang songs for us and gave the sweetest hugs! I was amazed at how well-behaved they were. After looking through all their goodies, they quietly packed everything away into their backpacks—without being asked! I was already impressed, but what really shocked me was when their teacher stepped out of the room for about 15 minutes to give us a tour, and those little ones stayed perfectly behaved the entire time. As a teacher myself, my mouth just about hit the floor. I can’t even imagine leaving one of my kindergarten classes alone for 60 seconds, let alone 15 minutes!

Their school kitchen is run by local moms who take turns cooking. I did notice some black mold on the ceiling and walls, which was concerning.

School is free for everyone BUT there is a long list of things that are needed including uniforms. Many families cannot afford these things or cannot get to a school on a regular basis, therefore many cannot attend.

And then there’s Shaun—the daredevil of our group. He’s been known to climb water towers (to Juan’s horror), and today he climbed up the school’s tower while his wife conveniently stepped away. Juan just laughed and shook his head. He got some cool pictures from up there.

🛖 From Mattress to Home: Milagros’ Family

Next, we visited Milagros and her three children. Last year, they were living on a mattress on the ground with only metal sheets overhead. Now, thanks to Juan and Kim, they have a small home built from salvaged materials from the base’s old dining room. What a difference it’s made.

We brought food and gifts for the kids and prayed over them. Our hope is that they grow up surrounded by love and support—and choose futures full of promise, not pain. The father is currently working far away to provide for them.

🌸 Grace in the Face of Illness

Then we visited a grandmother who is terminally ill and her granddaughter Tracey, who has a rare disease causing blindness in one eye. With help from Off The Trails Missions, Tracey now has the glasses she needs to keep studying. She wants to become a doctor who specializes in rare diseases. Her family was so grateful—it was so touching when one of them handed out hand-embroidered gifts to each of us. Some weren’t even finished, but she refused to let anyone leave without one. These people are so loving and giving and we could learn a lot from them.

🏞️ Parks, Showers, and Perspective

On the way back to base, we passed a beautiful park. The heat today was more intense—closer to the 90s. It’s funny seeing locals bundled up in long sleeves while we’re sweating in t-shirts.

After returning, I grabbed a quick shower. No hot water here—just whatever the sun manages to warm in the water tower. I find it refreshing… some others? Not so much.

✨ Milagros: A Living Miracle

This evening we met another Milagros, and she truly lives up to her name—“miracle.” Born with spina bifida, she can’t use her legs but radiates joy like sunshine. She wants to become a lawyer, doctor, or psychologist and attends a Christian school. She remembered Jim from last year, and her face lit up when she saw him again. That moment deeply touched his daughter who joined us this year.

We brought her colored pencils, paper, and a jewelry-making kit—plus toys for her sister and food for the family. When we asked what she wanted most, not needed, she quietly said, “clothes.” That’s now on Juan and Kim’s list for next time.

👨‍👦‍👦 Strength in a Single Dad

We also visited David and his three sons. Six years ago, when his wife died giving birth, he was suddenly a single dad. His oldest son, just 14, cooks for the family and takes care of his younger brothers. He wanted to go to school, but responsibilities at home made it hard. Juan and Kim found him a Sunday school program and check in regularly to make sure he’s staying on track. He smiled and said, “I know when I’m being checked on.” We brought the family food and small gifts—they were incredibly grateful.

🌧️ Floodwaters & Faith

We ended the night visiting Walter and his wife. It was already dark, and we had to make our way by the lights on our phones. The mosquitoes were relentless—our poor cameraman kept swatting them while trying to film, so that footage might be a little wobbly! This family has also been hit hard by the flooding here in Pucallpa, and access to their home is still tricky because of the high water levels.

Last year, Pastor John bought the family two solar-powered lights—one for inside their home and one for outside. As we approached, we could see the glow of those very lights shining in the distance. It was such a moving sight.

We brought them food and dental supplies, but what really touched us was when Walter’s wife prayed for us, asking God to bless us. Tears again.

✈️ Gearing Up for Iquitos

After dinner, we packed our bags. Tomorrow, we head to Iquitos—a city you can only get to by plane or boat. We’re flying instead of making the 23-hour mountain drive. I’m excited to continue this mission and meet some of the indigenous tribes in the area.

🤝 Tid Bits and Friends Made

LaVern hasn’t been feeling well but is finally bouncing back. There were also some hilarious “code” conversations among the guys about digestive issues. Let’s just say… there were celebrations once things “resolved.” 😂

Funny story: Kim got a panicked call from her son-in-law thinking their TV had been stolen. She had to explain that it had been given away… to a school!

I wanted to take a moment to mention a few amazing people:

Makahuachi—what a guy. He volunteers with Kim and Juan, vets needs in Pucallpa, and films everything for their mission’s social media and news. He’s always ahead of the group and helped us every step of the way. We yelled “Makahuachi!” whenever we saw him. We’ll miss him in Iquitos.

GoGo and Dotty—our Peruvian chefs! They run a restaurant from their home but always come to cook for mission teams. Their food is incredible—fresh fruit, homemade juices, and traditional Peruvian dishes. My favorites were pulled chicken in a creamy cheese sauce over rice, and a deep-fried mashed potato ball stuffed with spiced beef. Heaven!

Dillon—this young man helps care for the base. From the water tower to the trucks, he keeps everything running smoothly. We couldn’t do this without him.

We have one more visit before we leave Pucallpa in the morning. I’ll post the leaving pics with the next blog.

Thanks again for following along on this journey. These experiences are shaping all of us in ways we never expected. I can’t wait to share what’s next in Iquitos!